Do I Need To Hire An Interior Designer?

“Do I need to hire an interior designer?” If you are thinking, *probably not*, please read this post first to see if it helps you consider, in more depth, when it might make sense for you to hire an interior designer.

Let’s examine these points further.

1. You want your home to look beautiful, but you’re afraid of making costly mistakes.

We receive several calls a year from couples asking us if we can help them fix their *problem*, because they have purchased furniture, rugs, lighting, etc. only to find the item is too big, doesn’t fit, doesn’t *look right* with what else is in the room, isn’t comfortable and/or isn’t the right color.

If you’re concerned about avoiding costly errors like these , hiring an interior designer might be a good idea, because we help you save money and get it right – the first time.

2. You’re too busy and don’t have the time.

Moms and Dads, business owners, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, is this you?

Do you need someone with whom you can discuss/share your vision? Do you need someone you can trust to have the experience to creatively implement your vision?

A properly designed room is a full time job that requires time. Just designing a dining room – including the floor plan, selecting and specifying furniture, fabrics, lighting, artwork and accessories, placing the orders with the manufacturers, tracking the orders and supervising the installation can easily take over 100 hours!

Do you have the time to deal with the manufacturer when they call saying that the colors in the dye lots aren’t matching – choose another fabric? (It will happen) ..or is your time more valuable spending your free time with your family?

3. You can’t find what you like.

In this case, you might have shopped various retailers, both online and offline, and just can’t find what you like. Or, you might want to have your furniture designed and customized just for your home, so you don’t see it anywhere else. Customization and personalization are bespoke services that we offer our clients, as do all interior designers and insures that what you invest in will be made to order, exclusive and exactly tailored to your specifications.

4. You know what you want but don’t know where to begin.

The number of decisions that need to be made in any interiors or kitchen/bath design project can be overwhelming! There are thousands, from where to locate the plumbing line behind kitchen tile, to where to locate air conditioning and heating zones for maximum comfort.

Having an architectural interior designer /kitchen designer help you navigate the path through this decision making process will assure you a beautiful finished room, while minimizing your risk. We assume all the headaches in order that you will have the most pleasurable experience possible over the course of seeing your home come to life, exactly as you had envisioned!

5. You’re downsizing.

Downsizing is really difficult for most people. Sally and I have helped many individuals and couples with this process, and it’s always difficult. Not only is it difficult from the design aspect, but also from the psychological aspect.

Having an experienced interior designer help you decide what to keep, what to give away and where things will go helps minimize your stress.

You might be wondering: “How do I mix new with old?” “Will the antiques and furniture and artwork that I want to keep, fit in my new home? “Will it still be the right scale and proportion?”

We recently worked with a client who downsized from a 4,000 s.f. home to a 1,000 s.f. unit in a retirement community and helped them work through all of these issues, including preparing floor plans, inventorying and determining what they should move vs. what should go to family, donate or sell. We also consulted with the client’s real estate broker on staging the home for resale. (We even created a coded move plan to be sure all their furniture was placed properly – see below.)

6. You’re moving and want a fresh start.

When you first begin to think about a new home and new interiors or a new kitchen or bath, what’s the first thing you do? You look at magazines, Pinterest, Instagram, ask friends, etc. right? Maybe you even write a story describing a typical day in your new home and write down your priorities, values and needs?

As you begin to sort through all of these images and ideas, hiring an interior designer can be an excellent investment to help you define what it is, exactly, you really want…because remember #1?

It was about making expensive mistakes. The opportunity to make expensive mistakes is HUGE at the beginning of any interior design and/or kitchen design project. By working with an interior designer, we can help you define exactly what it is that will actually make you happy, and we can help you understand budgeting and scheduling, ahead of time, so you can be * in the know* and ask the right questions.

Lastly, and not on the list, an interior designer can help you elevate how you live your life.

If you can trust their artistic, creative eye, and let their years of knowledge and experience go to work for you, you will end up with details and comfort in the interiors of your home that far exceed your greatest expectations.

~~~ In Closing

If Sally and I can help you with any aspect of the design of your home in 2017, including kitchens, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the contact form on our new website, here: